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Think taco meat plus macaroni and cheese and you’ve got taco mac and cheese. However, the goal of this recipe was to make each serving as high protein as possible. In order to do this I used Banza Elbow pasta and added cottage cheese to the sauce. Before you get the heebie jeebies now that you’ve heard cottage cheese .. this recipe has been tasted by my entire family and no one has any idea is uses cottage cheese. Zero. Nada.
Definitely! I would suggest using ground meats though like ground turkey or chicken. Follow the instructions the same for any raw meat you use for this taco mac and cheese.
To make this sauce high protein and creamy we are using 8 oz. of low fat cottage cheese combined with salsa. Trust me, no one will even notice. As long as you blend the cottage cheese first (prior to adding the salsa) and get it as smooth as possible the cottage cheese is undetectable in this taco mac and cheese.
This taco mac and cheese is full of dairy so making it dairy free may be a bit tricky. This recipe uses cottage cheese, milk and two different types of cheese. You can try with dairy free alternatives. I am using Banza Chickpea Pasta Elbows to add protein to this dish which are also gluten free.
These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for this Taco Mac and Cheese.
Ground Beef: this recipe uses lean 96/4 ground beef. You can use any percent beef or substitute with ground chicken or turkey. I do suggest sticking with ground meats for this recipe.
Bell Pepper: this recipe uses one red bell pepper chopped into small chunks. You can use red, green, orange or yellow.
Homemade Taco Seasoning: I use the same homemade taco seasoning in any and all of my taco flavored recipes. It has been tested and loved time and time again. With a combination of cumin, paprika and chili powder you will love the flavors of this seasoning. Use it on anything!
Cottage Cheese: you’ll need 1/2 a small container or 8 oz. of your favorite low fat cottage cheese. Good Culture and Nancy’s Organic are my favorite brands.
Salsa: I definitely suggest using the fresh salsa found in the refrigerated sections. They’re low calorie, fresh, flavorful and much better than jarred salsa. I like used the Signature Select (this is a Safeway brand) Roasted Taqueria Style in Medium. This is where you adjust your heat level. Use mild to hot salsa!
Elbow Noodles: you can use any elbow noodles. This recipe sues 8 oz. Banza Chickpea Pasta Elbow which has added protein and is gluten free. Swap with your favorite just note the nutrition facts will change.
Milk: the sauce has 1/4 cup of whole milk. You can use nonfat, 2% coconut or almond. The nutrition facts will change but not by a huge amount as it is such a small amount used.
Flour: to get the sauce to thicken I added 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour. You can use gluten free flour or even Kodiak protein flour.
Cheddar Cheese: you will need 1/2 cup of mild cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar for the cheese sauce. You can use all mild or a combination of others.
This taco mac and cheese is great as a standalone meal but you could also serve with a side salad or roasted vegetables. To beef it up you could even serve it over cauliflower rice to add volume.
Serving size is approximately 240 grams or 1 heaping cup per serving. The recipe makes 6 servings.
Nutrition facts are an estimate. As always, for the most accurate measurement per serving weigh your final dish (minus the pan!) and divide by the serving amount.
“ohsnapmacros Taco Mac and Cheese”
I am not a registered dietitian or a macro coach, I am a wife and mom to two beautiful little girls on a journey to feel my best inside and out! My goal is to bring you recipes to help you do the same!
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17 Responses
This is so great! Just like any of the other Tex-Mex flavored recipes on ohsnapmacros, it makes this Texas girl happy!!
Excellent! Perfect meal prep option!
I made this today and it was AMAZING! I actually used 6oz of noodles to cut some carbs and it was great!! Thanks!!
Delicious!! I was skeptical since I don’t usually enjoy the taste of cottage cheese or Banza but it was incredible. Cozy and perfect for winter time! Our toddler also enjoyed it. Thank you!
Eating this as we speak! SO yummy and insane macros! Great for meal prep!
This is really dang good and super simple. Great for leftovers!
So quick and delicious. My husband and 15 year old son ate more than one serving and my son has requested it as a meal prep for his school lunches.
I love this!!! Thank you!
So yummy and so easy to make
My FAVORITE meal prep recipe! The portion is so filling and satisfying that I never feel the need to go back for me. (Do I want to? ABSOLUTELY. but I’m very satisfied after just one serving) The fish is full of flavor and protein! The only change I make is subbing the chickpea pasta for a protein pasta but either way is delicious!
Absolutely delicious! I’ve made this recipe twice so far with ingredients as listed and it’s been delicious and creamy both times. I don’t have an immersion blender so I used the cottage cheese as is and I couldn’t even tell. A staple!
Quick, easy and so good!
The best for meal prep. Great macros and feels like I’m eating a treat. My four year old also approves.
Delicious and easy! Thank you for another great recipe.
This was delicious – what do you think about batch making the sauce and freezing it in the appropriate increments for future cooking?
Danielle has hit it out of the park AGAIN!
It’s amazing to create your own cheese sauce here with healthy ingredients! This was easy enough, and liked it just as much as a hamburger helper skillet. Will definitely be on remake!
LOVE how easy and how delicious. The whole family loved it as well. Will add to my favorites! Thank you!!!